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Friday, September 04, 2009

Tonight, the Hawai'i football team opens its season against Central Arkansas.

Yesterday, the Warriors made a down payment on its future, securing a commitment from the top defensive end in American Samoa.

"I'm going to be a Warrior," 6-foot-2, 225-pound David Katina said.

Katina attends Kanana Fou High, which does not field a football team, but plays for Fa'asao Marist High.

"He's an awesome player," Fa'asao coach Time Fitala said. "He's the best defensive end on the island."

Katina also plays offensive tackle, offensive guard, defensive tackle and linebacker. The Samoa News named Katina as the defensive player of the week after he amassed 12 tackles, including four for losses, and two sacks against powerful Samoana High.

"With a little more technique and a little more muscle, he'll be another Fonoti," Fitala said, referring to UH defensive end Fetaiagogo "John" Fonoti. "He's about the same size, same height, same body structure. But he's a younger version."

Katina's siblings are the Katina Brothers, a musical group based in Tennessee.

His father, David Katina Sr., is a pastor and musician who recently moved to Hawai'i.

Katina attended Word of Life Academy as a freshman and Campbell High as a sophomore. He moved back to American Samoa for his junior year. He lives with his grandmother.

He considered attending Campbell this year, but decided to remain in American Samoa to graduate from Kanana Fou.

Katina also plays basketball and volleyball. American Samoa does not have facilities for track and field events.

Katina can run 40 yards in 4.8 seconds, and bench press 315 pounds.

He is scheduled to take a recruiting trip to Hawai'i in November. But he decided to make an early commitment to UH.

He turned down offers from Southern Methodist and Oregon State.

"I always wanted to be a Warrior," he said. "Most of my family went there."